The snooker world is turning its attention to York as the prestigious UK Championship approaches, and two of the sport's most respected former champions have made an identical prediction for the winner.
Legendary Endorsement for The Jester
Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty have both tipped Mark Selby to reclaim the UK Championship title. This significant endorsement comes as the first Triple Crown event of the season prepares to kick off at the Barbican in York. While qualifying is currently underway in Wigan to determine the final 16 players who will join the world's top 16, the main event begins on Saturday November 29.
The current snooker season has been notably unpredictable, with 11 different tournament winners in 11 events. This remarkable streak of varied champions has occurred without victories from giants of the game like Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan, or John Higgins, suggesting the pattern could continue in York.
Selby's Form and Focus
However, both Hendry and Doherty believe Mark Selby will break that cycle. Their confidence stems from Selby's recent triumph at the Champion of Champions, where he defeated defending UK champion Judd Trump in the final on November 16. This victory marked Selby's first career win in that particular tournament and has been part of a strong season that has also seen him reach three other semi-finals.
The 42-year-old Leicester player, known as 'The Jester', is a two-time UK Championship winner, though his last victory at this event dates back to 2016. Since that triumph, Selby has failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals, a surprising record for a player of his four-time world champion calibre.
Following his Champion of Champions success, Selby immediately emphasised his focus on snooker's premier events. 'My target has always been those Triple Crowns,' Selby told ITV4. 'During the season if you can pinch one of them…I know it's not easy. That's where I see myself. When you look back in years to come on the all-time greats, it's basically like the Grand Slams in tennis. Our Triple Crowns are the Worlds, Masters and UK.'
Silver Lining in Saudi Absence
Selby's recent schedule may have worked in his favour for the upcoming challenge in York. He was not involved in the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship this week as he sits outside the world's top 10. While Zhao Xintong claimed the £250,000 winner's prize, Selby recognised the benefits of missing the Saudi trip.
'Obviously financially it's disappointing not to be in it because it's good money if you do well,' he told SportsBoom. 'But then at the same time, we've been travelling so much the last two to three months. And with the UK coming up with such a big tournament, it probably…to be fair, having won this [Champion of Champions] now, it's probably not a bad thing, just having a bit of time, to just rest and practice a little bit and unwind and go to the UK fresh rather than fatigued.'
With qualifying running until Thursday November 27 and the champion being crowned on December 7, all eyes will be on York to see if the legends' prediction comes true and Mark Selby can indeed have the last laugh.
